I usually don't like live music. Well, let me qualify that. I love the music. With a few notable exceptions, I hate the crowds, the waiting and generally the whole experience. But when I went to see the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra at Yoshi's last Wednesday, I loved it. It was awesome.

I had been to Yoshi's in Oakland before, but only to eat. I had never been to see a show. I didn't even really know what we were going to see. Jennifer had danced at some party at an art gallery run by a friend of hers and Marcus Shelby was there with a few guys from his band providing music. That's how she found out about the show.

I figured it would just be a few guys on stage, but it was a full 15 piece ensemble in the intimate quarter circular venue. 5 saxophones. 4 trumpets. 3 trombones. A drummer. A piantist. And Marcus Shelby directing the whole thing with his double bass. I hadn't anything like since I in a tiny place in New York City over a year ago.

The show was a celebration of Duke Ellington's Birthday, which was a week or so back. Shelby and the band played all these standards (Ain't got a Thing, Take the A-Train, etc.) and gave some history of the band and its members. I was mesmerized. I watched Shelby's fingers work the bass. He was so cool, so assured in his movements. Under his stewardship, the band pumped out the huge Duke sound, one classic song after another. It was great.